MAIA MUST BE SAVED.
The gentlemen's room at the "Golden Lamb" was almost entirely empty, as
was commonly the case in the early afternoon hours. The visitors were
not accustomed to come in until towards evening. At present only a
single guest was there, namely, Landsfeld, who had come to consult with
the host concerning a mass-meeting that was to take place in the course
of the next few days. Herr Willmann did not happen to be at home, and
Landsfeld, who wanted to have the matter settled, had taken possession
of the gentlemen's room, without further ceremony, where he had already
been waiting for a quarter of an hour. He had no idea that Herr
Willmann had already got home and knew of his being there, but
preferred making a servile bow to the Odensburg family ere he gave as
respectful a greeting to the leader of the Socialists. Already he began
to grow impatient, when finally the door opened. But instead of the
party expected Egbert Runeck came in.
The young delegate, who had gone to Berlin for a few days immediately
after his election to consult with the leaders of his party, gave a
strikingly cold and short salutation to his comrade, who, on his side,
acknowledged it only by a slight nod.
"Back already from Berlin?" asked Landsfeld.
"I got here about an hour ago," answered Runeck. "I went straight to
your house and heard there that I would be sure to find you at the
'Golden Lamb.'"
"To my house? That is a rare honor! I want to secure the hall for the
day after to-morrow, since there turns out to be a necessity for a
second mass meeting. As for the rest, we did not expect you back. Are
you through with your business already?"
"Yes, for the time being only some preliminaries were to be settled. My
permanent presence in Berlin will not be required for four weeks yet,
when the sessions of the _Reichstag_ begin, and so it seems to me I am
more needed here just now than there."
"You are mistaken," declared Landsfeld. "We need you here no longer,
now that your election has been carried. But I thought to myself that
you would return as speedily as possible, when you heard that trouble
was brewing for your beloved Odensburg. Yes, we have beaten it into the
old man's brain at last that he is not infallible. Until now he was so
inaccessible that nothing could come nigh him; now that he has to
wrestle with us like the rest of his colleagues, it may go hard enough
with him!"
"I rather think you have no occasion to triumph," said Egbert gloomily.
"Dernburg has responded to your challenge by a wholesale discharge."
"Of course! That was to be expected of the obstinate old man, and we
were perfectly prepared for it."
"Or rather, you have planned for it. And what now?"
"Well, it means bend or break. Either the old man withdraws his
discharge of the workmen, or all his enterprises come to a standstill."
"Dernburg is not going to bend, that you all know, and to break him you
have not the power. But he has it, and will use it unsparingly now that
he has been goaded so far. He can hold out if his works lie idle for
weeks and months--but not you. The strike is perfectly senseless, and
the leaders of our party do not wish it--never have wished it. Now the
decision against it has been definitely made."
"Ah, indeed! I know you did your very best to persuade them to come to
this decision. Now, didn't you?" asked Landsfeld with a piercing
glance. "You are one of the leaders yourself now! The youngest and most
masterful of all. You seem to have got the whip-hand of the others
already."
Runeck made an unequivocal sign of impatience.
"Have you only personal attacks against me, where the question concerns
a party measure? I bring you the positive direction, not to proceed to
extremities--conform to it."
"I am sorry, it is too late; the direction should have come earlier,"
answered Landsfeld coldly. "The offer has been made, and in case of its
non-acceptance the strike is announced. The people cannot retract--they
will see it so in Berlin also."
"Ah, ah, you show your true colors at last," cried Egbert in embittered
tone. "You, who have always had the word discipline in your mouth, have
followed your own head entirely!"
"Acted upon my own responsibility, yes! Those narrow-minded cowards,
those Odensburgers, must at last be thoroughly aroused from their dream
of security. What trouble we have had in getting them to elect you,
under what high pressure did we have to work, and all was left in
doubt, up to the last minute! Now the dull mass is at last in motion;
now it is of moment to urge them forward!"
"And whither? To certain defeat! They have followed you to the polls,
and even now they go with you blindly--the intoxication of victory has
mounted to their heads! You have not preached to them in vain that they
were almighty. But the intoxication will pass away. Just let the people
come to their senses for once, and perceive what they lose when they
turn their backs upon Odensburg, and what sorrows they thereby entail
upon their wives and children--I tell you, you will not be able to hold
them together for eight days; they will run back to Dernburg as fast as
their legs can carry them. But he will be a different man from what he
has been heretofore; he will not and cannot pardon the insult that they
have inflicted upon him."
The young engineer had long since lost the cool calmness with which he
had opened the interview, and had worked himself up into continually
greater excitement. Landsfeld quietly kept his seat and looked at him
fixedly: an evil smile played about his lips, as he replied:
"You seem to find this quite in order. On what side do you really
stand, may I ask?"
"On the side of reason and of right!" exclaimed Runeck passionately.
"That the workmen elected me in opposition to Dernburg was their right,
and he would not contest that, either, deeply as it might mortify him.
But that they celebrated my victory in his works, that they had
processions and rejoiced over his defeat, almost under his windows,
that is a bold challenge, and he has given them, in reply, the answer
they deserved!"
"Ah, indeed? They deserved it, did they?" repeated Landsfeld, in a tone
that should have warned his young comrade; but he paid no heed to it
and continued with gathering warmth:
"You had the people stirred up through Fallner, I know this; you goaded
them into making that senseless demand, which is equivalent to
inflicting incredible humiliation upon their chief. Is it that you so
entirely mistake the man with whom you have to deal, or would you have
war to the knife? Well, you shall have it! Dernburg has shown himself
the protector of the workman long enough, now he will reveal himself as
the master, and he does right in this--I would not act differently in
his place!"
A loud, bitter laugh from Landsfeld brought Egbert to a stop, for he
had uttered those last words inconsiderately, stung into revolt.
"Bravo! Oh, that is an inestimable confession! There at last you show
your true face! It was the old man of Odensburg to the life--you are a
worthy pupil of your master's school. What think you if I report the
sentiment just heard from you in Berlin?"
Runeck could hardly fail to be aware that he had allowed himself to go
too far, but he only straightened himself up more defiantly.
"What care I? Do you suppose that I allow myself to be such a slave,
that I dare not express my opinions freely, when we are among
ourselves?"
"Among ourselves! Do you actually do us the honor to account yourself
one of us? It is true you are our delegate! I have warned and counseled
enough, for I knew long ago how far we would probably get with you.
They would not listen to me, would secure that genial power to our
party, and therefore the election must be pushed with all the means at
our command. It was the hardest to manage of any in the electorial
campaign--and for whom? The eyes of the others will soon be opened
too."
"If you want to help them in this, then do so!" said Egbert harshly and
proudly. But now Landsfeld jumped up and planted himself close in front
of him.
"Perhaps you would be quite agreed to this. You are regularly planning,
I believe, to lead up to a breach. Give yourself no trouble, young man:
we will not do you that favor, we will not release you. If you choose
to turn traitor and runagate, then let the whole disgrace of it fall
upon you!"
A bitter expression curled Runeck's lips at these scornful words.
"Traitor! This, then, is what I get for giving myself up to you, body
and soul, for sacrificing to you a future grander and more brilliant
than falls to the lot of one in a thousand."
"And now you are on the stool of repentance, naturally?" remarked
Landsfeld slyly.
"The sacrifice--no! But association with you--yes, I have long ago
repented of that."
"You are candid, anyhow," mocked Landsfeld, "and recklessly show us
what a rod we have pickled for ourselves in your election. Yet there is
no help for that now, and, for the present, you will be obliged to do
your duty in the _Reichstag_. Fortunately your earlier speeches are in
the mouths of every one. You could slap yourself in the face; you would
now whistle to quite another tune, if you could. And once more, young
man,"--he suddenly dropped the mocking tone and his voice became low
and threatening,--"make no attempt to meddle in Odensburg affairs,
which I have now taken in hand myself. I shall know how to answer for
my conduct to the party--only see to it that you cope with your own
responsibility. It is not going to be spared you, depend upon that!" So
saying, he turned his back upon his comrade, and left the room without
any greeting.
Egbert was left alone; silently and moodily he brooded, with downcast
eyes. He could not hinder the continual recurrence to his mind of the
last words that Dernburg had spoken to him ere dismissing him: "You
might have been lord of Odensburg. See whether your associates will
thank you for the immense sacrifice that you have made to them!" He had
just received a token of their gratitude.
Then the door was softly opened, only half-way, however, and a lovely
young girl's head appeared in the aperture. Timidly and with curiosity
she peeped in. It was Maia, who, in the course of her tour of discovery
in the "Golden Lamb," had finally reached the gentlemen's room. She had
hardly cast in a glance, however, before an exclamation of joyful
surprise escaped her lips.
"Egbert!"
He started from his reverie, looked at her for a moment in stolid
amazement, and then sprang to his feet. "Maia--you here?"
Maia quickly glided into the room, drawing the door to behind her.
Fräulein Friedberg and Dr. Hagenbach should know nothing of this
meeting, else they would not allow her to have anything to say to
Egbert--he was tabooed now at Odensburg!
Runeck, too, seemed suddenly to remember their altered relations;
slowly he let the hand drop that he had stretched forth in greeting,
and drew back a step.
"May we exchange greetings as we used to do?" asked he softly.
A shadow crossed Maia's face, just an instant before so radiant, but
she unhesitatingly drew nearer and offered her hand to the friend of
her childhood. "Alas, Egbert, that it had to come so far! If you only
knew how it looks now at our house."
"I do know!" was his short and gloomy answer.
"Our Odensburg is no longer to be recognized," lamented the young girl.
"Formerly, if we went through the works or had anything to say to the
workmen, how joyfully we would be greeted by all; and if, moreover,
papa showed himself, then all eyes were fastened upon him, and every
one was proud of being spoken to by him. Now"--a subdued sob was
perceptible in her voice--"now papa has forbidden Cecilia and me to
leave the circuit of the park, since we are not secure against insults
outside. He himself goes every day to the works, but I see on the faces
of our officers that they regard it as a risk, that they fear he is in
danger among his own workmen. But what more than all eats into his
heart, is what happened on election-day--he did not deserve it at their
hands."
She did not suspect the effect of those words upon the man, who stood
half-turned away from her. Not a sound crossed his lips, but his
countenance expressed tortures that were with difficulty concealed.
Maia saw this and laid her hand on his arm, with the old cordiality.
"I know it," said she soothingly. "But I am the only one at Odensburg
who still cleaves to you, and I hardly dare to show it. Papa is
dreadfully provoked and bitter against you, and Os--I mean Baron von
Wildenrod--confirms him in this. So my begging does no good whatever,
and now, besides, Cecilia----"
"She too?" interrupted Runeck, turning suddenly around. "Does she
condemn me too?"
"I am not sure," said Maia, frightened at the strange look which Egbert
cast upon her. "But Cecilia will never listen when I talk about you,
and fairly takes to flight. Ah, Egbert, if any one else stood in
opposition to my father, I believe he would stand it better. That it
should be you is what he cannot bear."
"Neither can I!" answered Egbert gloomily. "Tell your father so, Maia,
if you choose."
The young girl mournfully shook her head. "I cannot--your name is no
more to be mentioned in his presence. If it happens, by any chance, it
makes him furiously angry. And he did love you so! Dear me, why do
people have to hate one another so desperately, just because they
belong to two different political parties? I really do not understand
it."
Maia's sweet girlish voice sounded soft and pleading, but nevertheless
each of her words pierced Egbert's soul, like a glowing reproach. He
could stand it no longer.
"Let that be, Maia," said he, controlling his emotion by a great
effort. "He must accept it as a stroke of destiny, that we all find it
hard to bear. And you, poor child! have we drawn you into the net, too,
and destroyed the sunny cheerfulness of your spirits?"
The face of the young girl suddenly flushed up, her head drooped, and
softly, almost shyly, she answered:
"No, no--I am often enough ashamed that, in spite of all this, I am so
excessively happy; and yet I cannot help it. Do not look at me in such
surprise, Egbert. Strangers, to be sure, are not to know it yet,
because we are still wearing mourning for our poor Eric, but I can tell
you already that I--well, that I am a betrothed bride."
Egbert started back in astonishment. Hitherto he had always considered
Maia in the light of a child. It had not occurred to him that love
could have already come to her. Now the unexpected news called a
fleeting smile to his gloomy countenance, and full of cordiality he
stretched out his hands to his youthful playmate. "Does our little Maia
actually have to do with such things?" asked he with an attempt at
playfulness.
"But I am not so little any more," protested Maia, with a charming
pout, while she stood on tip-toe and looked him roguishly in the eye.
"See, I already reach up to your shoulders, and his too."
"His? Why, I have not even asked after the name of your intended. What
is it?"
"Oscar," whispered Maia softly.
"What did you say?" said Egbert in shocked surprise.
"Oscar von Wildenrod! You know him, yes--dear me, Egbert, what is the
matter?"
Runeck had turned pale, and his right hand clinched involuntarily with
a look that was full of commiseration. He fixed his eyes upon the young
girl, who returned his gaze with a troubled anxious air.
"Baron von Wildenrod is your betrothed?" repeated he at last. "And has
your father consented?"
"Certainly. He was opposed to it in the beginning, on account of the
great difference of age, but Oscar besieged him so long, and I, too,
begged and besought him so hard to let us be happy, that at last he
gave his consent."
Egbert was thunderstruck, and gazed upon the lovely young creature who
so heedlessly spoke of her happiness, where misery in reality impended.
For the second time fate had imposed upon him the task of inflicting a
deadly blow upon a being who was dear to him, and crushing her supposed
happiness with a ruthless hand. This had been spared Eric in his dying
hour; he could be silent when he learned to know Cecilia as she really
was; here he had no choice and could not keep silence.
"And you do not rejoice with me?" asked Maia, in a mortified and
reproachful tone, as he still said nothing. "Oh, I remember you had
something against Oscar, and he has a great deal against you. I have
known this a long while, although neither of you will own it. But you
can surely congratulate me, any way.--I am indescribably happy."
Runeck ground his teeth together. He could not wish her joy, even as a
mere matter of ceremony, which under these circumstances would have
been the bitterest mockery, and yet he felt that he dared not now and
in this place keep his secret. Fortunately accident came to his
assistance, for out in the passage became audible the voice of Dr.
Hagenbach.
"Have you seen Fräulein Dernburg anywhere? We must hurry to the
station,--the train will be here in ten minutes."
"I must!" whispered Maia, pricking up her ears. "Farewell, Egbert. I
shall always hold you dear, whatever happens. And you cannot forget,
either, that Odensburg was so long your home."
Once more the brown eyes were uplifted to him in fervent deprecation,
and then the young girl glided quickly away. Runeck breathed a sigh of
relief that he had no longer to withstand the battery of those happy,
unsuspecting eyes, but, at the same time, great waves of rebellion came
rolling over his tortured soul.
This, then, had been Wildenrod's aim. He had set his covetous eye upon
Odensburg, and would never rest until the booty was his, and Maia's
hand was to lay it within his grasp. And Cecilia knew this, and did not
interfere. Indeed, he was her brother, whom she loved in spite of
everything--it was only to save him that she had become Eric's wife.
And she did not know the truth. Oh, why had he concealed it from her
that time? But now her feelings were no longer to be considered,
either--the thing was to rescue Maia: now, to be silent any longer were
a crime.
"No, I shall not forget that Odensburg was, for so long a time, my
home," murmured Egbert, drawing himself up resolutely, "if I do have to
prove it in a different way from what you expect, my poor little Maia.
Shall I write to Dernburg? Impossible. I am wholly out of favor with
him--he believes the worst of me; he would deem the letter a wretched
calumny, and Wildenrod would win his game nevertheless. There is no
help for it, I must fight the battle face to face, and not give up
either, until it is decided, until Maia is released from this bond. Be
it so, then--I am going to Odensburg."